Capitals rally late, stun top-seeded Panthers in Game 1
SUNRISE, Fla. — T.J. Oshie scored the go-ahead goal midway through the third period, Vitek Vanecek stopped 30 shots and the Washington Capitals rallied past the top-seeded Florida Panthers, 4-2, in the opener of their Eastern Conference first-round series Tuesday night. Tom Wilson, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Lars Eller also scored...
Flyers GM Fletcher wants to find right fit in new coachVideo
PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Flyers need a new coach. And they need to get younger. Find more talent. Spark interest in a sagging fanbase. Oh, is that it? It’s just the start of the long list of what promises to be a long offseason for the Flyers after what was...
Kraken hope to build after disappointing inaugural campaignVideo
SEATTLE — For all the excitement and anticipation leading up to the first puck drop, the inaugural season for the Seattle Kraken ended up looking like nearly every other NHL expansion season from the past 30 years. The comparisons with the last expansion team, the Golden Knights, were inevitable, and...
How Jordan Staal, Carolina Hurricanes’ ‘ultimate leader,’ keeps team on a winning path
Jordan Staal was 20 years old when he held up the Stanley Cup in victory, letting out a big howl, a blondish playoff beard making him look older. Then again, it might have been the strain of winning the Cup, the grueling pursuit, that made him look older. It can...
Antti Raanta sharp in playoff debut as Hurricanes rout Bruins in Game 1Video
RALEIGH, N.C. — Seth Jarvis and Nino Niederreiter scored second-period goals, and Antti Raanta was strong in net to help the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Boston Bruins, 5-1, on Monday night in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series. Raanta had 35 saves in his first career postseason start with...
First Call: Steelers may have been trying to to move up in Round 1; Ravens still need a receiver; checking on Rangers
Monday’s “First Call” shows an interesting twist to the Pittsburgh Steelers draft. We preview the injury situation with the New York Rangers as they prepare to play the Penguins. The Ravens still need to know what’s going on at wide receiver. And we preview the Pirates’ next series in Detroit....
Avs, Flames top seeds in ever-unpredictable NHL Western ConferenceVideo
In assessing the status of his Pacific Division champion Calgary Flames, coach Darryl Sutter may have at the same time aptly captured the unpredictable state of the entire Western Conference once the playoffs open Monday. “We’re good. We’ve been consistent all year,” Sutter said. “The key is being healthy and...
NHL playoff matchups determined after frantic final night
It took until the final game on the final night of the NHL regular season to set the matchups for the first round of the playoffs. Naturally, the battle for the Stanley Cup starts in less than 72 hours. Technically there’s still one more inconsequential, weather-postponed game to be played...
Playoff hockey ‘changes everything’ from NHL regular season
Jon Cooper doesn’t get much sleep from September through June, even less when the NHL playoffs begin. After coaching the Tampa Bay Lightning to the league’s best regular-season record in 2019, getting swept in the first round in stunning fashion and then winning the Stanley Cup back to back, he...
Puck, player tracking taking big strides forward in NHLVideo
When Buffalo rookie Owen Power scored his first NHL goal, the replay from five different angles was available in a matter of seconds in a private suite at Prudential Center as the team celebrated below. A few doors down, donning a headset puts you virtually on the ice with a...
First Call: Cowboys owner swats former Steeler; Alex Ovechkin gives injury update; former RMU president up for NCAA gig?
In Thursday’s “First Call,” Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones jabs an ex-player who also was a Pittsburgh Steeler. The Penguins’ playoff picture is crystalizing. Alexander Ovechkin provides a health update. And a surprising new job could be in the works for former Robert Morris University president Chris Howard. I’m sure...
Gaudreau? Matthews? Shesterkin? NHL MVP race at least 7 deep
Auston Matthews leads the NHL in goals, Connor McDavid has the most points and Igor Shesterkin has been the best goaltender in the league. It’s entirely possible none of them wins the Hart Trophy as MVP. Matthews, McDavid and Shesterkin are among the front-runners, but the pool of candidates goes...
First Call: National outlets see Malik Willis, Kenny Pickett available for Steelers in draft; Alex Ovechkin’s injury status
Tuesday’s “First Call” leads us to believe the Pittsburgh Steelers will be on the clock with their choice of quarterbacks on the board during the NFL Draft Thursday night. There will be some scoreboard watching going on Tuesday in the NHL’s Eastern Conference. And we’ve got an update on Alex...
Connor McDavid’s drive to be NHL’s best player starts off the iceVideo
EDMONTON, Alberta — Christian Dedonato doesn’t see Connor McDavid much in the offseason, at least not until at least mid-afternoon. McDavid is too busy working out in the gym or staying sharp on the ice. When the longtime friends get together to skate, surf, kick a soccer ball around or...
First Call: Odds to land Deebo Samuel have Steelers in top 10; Alex Ovechkin injured; MLB player explodes at ump
Monday’s “First Call” puts the Pittsburgh Steelers into the mix for Deebo Samuel. We also look at the NHL’s Eastern Conference standings and an injury to Alex Ovechkin. Plus, one MLB player in Philadelphia has an all-time classic meltdown over balls and strikes. In the hunt? What are the odds...
Hockey Hall of Famer Guy Lafleur dies at age 70
MONTREAL — Hockey Hall of Famer Guy Lafleur, who helped the Montreal Canadiens win five Stanley Cup titles in the 1970s, has died at age 70. A cause of death was not immediately known, but Lafleur had been diagnosed with lung cancer. “We are deeply saddened to learn of the...
Kraken add Marshawn Lynch, Macklemore as minority ownersVideo
SEATTLE — The expansion Seattle Kraken are adding some additional star power to their ownership group. The Kraken announced Monday that Grammy winner Macklemore and former NFL running back Marshawn Lynch are joining the minority investor group. The two are taking small stakes in the franchise but bringing big ideas...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Remembering Mike Bossy as the 2nd-purest goal scorer ever
Mike Bossy was like a metronome. Nonstop. Inexorable. He scored, then scored again. The New York Islanders right wing netted 573 times in 752 regular-season games, 85 times in 129 playoff games, 13 times in 15 international games. That’s 671 goals of some gravitas, and a ton looked the same:...
NHLPA investigation: Donald Fehr not at fault in Blackhawks situationVideo
An independent investigation commissioned by the NHL Players’ Association found that executive director Don Fehr and others were not responsible for wrongdoing when they failed to act on a report that a Chicago Blackhawks player was sexually assaulted by a staff member in 2010. A law firm hired to look...
Mike Bossy, Islanders great, 4-time Cup champion, dies at 65
Mike Bossy, one of hockey’s most prolific goal-scorers and a star for the New York Islanders during their 1980s dynasty, has died after a battle with lung cancer. He was 65. The Islanders and TVA Sports, the French-language network in Canada where he worked as a hockey analyst, confirmed Bossy...
First Call: Kenny Pickett won’t attend NFL Draft bash in Vegas; ex-Pirates pitching battle; Penguins get help in standings
In Friday’s “First Call,” we reveal the players who will be at the NFL Draft in Las Vegas at the end of the month. The Pittsburgh Penguins got some favorable results on Thursday, beyond their own victory. We also celebrate an anniversary for the team that history occasionally overlooks. And...
First Call: Josh Dobbs speaks about going to Cleveland from Steelers; ex-Penguins star nets a hat trick
In Monday’s “First Call,” former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Josh Dobbs discusses his move to Cleveland. A former Penguin puts up a hat trick. The Washington Capitals keep winning. And we reflect on the loss of a former Penn State football standout. Change of allegiance New Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh Dobbs...
Ryan Getzlaf to retire after 17 seasons with Anaheim Ducks
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Anaheim Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf will retire at the conclusion of the regular season, ending his 17-year NHL career spent entirely with one club. The 36-year-old Getzlaf made his announcement Tuesday. The Ducks (28-31-12) have 11 games left in what’s almost certain to be their fourth consecutive...
First Call: Ravens lose out on free-agent target; ex-Pitt star may grab St. Peter’s job; RMU coach tired of ‘Coach K’ coverage
In Friday’s “First Call,” the Baltimore Ravens miss out on a star free agent signing. A Pitt basketball legend may be getting his first head coaching gig. Robert Morris’ head coach is no fan of the hype surrounding Mike Krzyzewski’s last trip to the Final Four. And we recap another...
Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk dies from illness at 62
OTTAWA, Ontario — Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk has died from an illness, the team said Monday night. He was 62. The team announced Melnyk’s death with a statement from his family that mentioned “an illness he faced with determination and courage.” The statement did not explain what the illness...
